Prepared foods

Is baby food creating fussy eaters?

Is baby food creating fussy eaters?

By Niamh Michail

Fostering children's willingness to try new flavours and foods has clear benefits for the food industry -  yet researchers say baby food manufacturers may be inadvertently creating picky eaters.

What can company founders tell us about successful product development?

How do start-ups approach new product development?

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Some of the best and brightest innovation in the food and drink industry comes from start-ups – so how do they approach NPD? And what can companies of all sizes learn from their approach?

Packaged fruit'n'veg is low in vitamins and nutrients

Is it worth buying nutrient-poor packaged fruit 'n' veg?

By Niamh Michail

Fresh-cut fruit and veg are sold as an instant vitamin boost. But chlorine disinfection, refrigeration and up to three weeks on the shelf mean their vitamin content is often low – so is there any point in buying them?

A new method for cooking rice that could slash calories by increasing levels of resistant starch may have applications for food companies using rice.

Changing how rice is cooked could cut calories

By Nathan Gray

A novel cooking and cooling process for rice could help slash the number of calories absorbed by the body by more than half by increasing levels of resistant starch, say researchers.

Reducing waste is the top priority, but food companies and retailers are also working together to redistribute surplus food

How retailers are working with suppliers to fight food waste

By Fintan Hastings, external affairs adviser, British Retail Consortium

The close relationship between supply chain partners means they are well-placed to help each other tackle food waste, says Fintan Hastings, external affairs adviser at the British Retail Consortium.

First used for taxonomy but now for food fraud: proponents say DNA barcoding allows for greater traceability

DNA sprays and added bacteria to fight food fraud

By Niamh Michail

Spray-on DNA or added bacteria may be the future of the fight against food fraud   - but analysts warn that consumers could react against more additives being used to guarantee a product’s authenticity or naturalness

Women make up 43% of the agricultural labour force in developing countries but own less land and livestock than men and have less access to credit or cooperatives.

Empowering women in agriculture is good for business

By Niamh Michail

Empowering women in small-hold agriculture is essential to boosting productivity, creating new product launches and generating business - and companies are starting to realise this, says a Fairtrade Foundation report.

Findus has acquired La Cocinera for an undisclosed sum

Findus snaps up Spanish ready meal firm

By Laurence Gibbons

The Findus Group has snapped up Spanish frozen ready meal firm La Cocinera from Nestlé Spain for an undisclosed sum, following approval from the Spanish competition authorities.

'Deliciousness and disgust are very closely related- one can quickly change into another depending on where you are or who are with,' says the author of Tasty

Breaking the taste taboo

By Niamh Michail

Taste preferences are firmly rooted in a society’s culture - but they can be changed if manufacturers succeed in creating a new ‘cultural context.’

Tapping into the flavour pairing trend

Tapping into the flavour pairing trend

By Niamh Michail

The concept of flavour pairing matches up weird and wonderful combinations – pork liver and jasmine for instance – and there are ways for the food industry to cash in on this niche trend too.

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